Removable bridge for artificial teeth



May 29, 1928. I 1,671,170

, B. K. TAKENAKA REMOVABLE BRIDGE FOR ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed Au 10, 1925 I, J W

ATTORNEY patented May 29, 1928 BENJAMIN K. TAKENAKA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REMOVABLE BRIDGE FOR ARTIFICIAL TEETH.

Application filed August 19, 1925.

There is in use at the present time what is known as removable or detachable bridges for artificial teeth. By means of such devices it is possible to'provide one or more artificial teeth mounted in a plate or saddle, and having at each side a connecting member which interlocks with a socket member mounted in an inlay in the natural teeth, at either side of the artificial tooth or teeth. The object of the removable bridge is to permit the artificial teeth to heremoved for cleaning and to permit them to be quickly restored to position. It has been necessary to provide some means of locking the artificial bridge in position so that the artificial teeth would not be dislodged accidentally. Usually this locking means has consisted of a locking member consisting of a split key which could be forced apart more or less from time to time in order to take up for wear between the locking members. been that the patient had to retnrnto the dentist each time an adjustment was to be made, and in addition, the adjustment was not reliable and permanent.

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple and ellective spring device for locking the removable bridge in place and which will permit the bridge to be removed from time to time, as often as desired, and to provide a locking device which may be adjusted by simply turning a screw or screws, and this adjustment may be made by the patient. The present device is simple in construction and operation and permits the artificial teeth to be removed as often as desired.

1n the drawing forming part of this application, t

Figure 1 is a perspective view representin a portion of the human gum with two natural teeth provided with inlays and with a single artificial tooth lying between the same and connected by means of my i11- vention, Figure 2 is a sectional view of the looking device taken on the line 22 of Figure 3,

Figure 3 is a members, and

Figure 4 shows a perspective of the various parts of the locking device.

In the drawing I have shown a portion 1 of the human gum and in connection there with I have shown two teeth 2 and 3 sepaplan view of the locking One objection to this has Serial No. 49,355.

rated from each other by a space previously occupied by an intermediate tooth which .tween the natural teeth mayfrequire one or more artificial teeth, accordingto the number of extracted teeth, but for the purpose of teaching the use of my invention it is sufficient to illustrate the application of a single tooth. Where there are several artificial teeth itwill be understood that they are all mounted in a common saddle, and the locking device forming the subject of my invention will be provided .at opposite ends of the saddle in the same manner, regardless of whether the saddle contains one or more artificial teeth. p

lin Figure 1 I have shown a saddle 4 of usual form, and partially surroundingand holding the artificial tooth 5. The saddle also includes ,a plate portion 6whichrests against the gum so that part of the pressure comes against the gum. This saddle extends upwardly and partly over the crown of the tooth at 7, and another portion extends around the base of the tooth at 8. The teeth 2, 3 at opposite sides of the artiticialtooth are each provided with an inlay 9 in well known manner, and each inlay includes a socket member forming part of the present locking device. As shown in the drawing each socket member consists of a member 10 as shown in the several figures. This member has a wall 11 extending vertically in the inlay and at the sideedges the socket curves at 12 and is formed intoan opposite wall 13 which has a central open ing or slot 14. The upper end of the socket is open, whereas the bottom is usually closed by a bottom wall 15. The socket is permanently fixed in each inlay and the pair 0t socketsface each otherv as shown in Figure 1. Preferably there is a U-shaped member 16 which is titted against the wall 13 of the socket for the purpose of stiffening and strengthening the construction.

At each side of the saddle there is a locking device and as both of these are the same, except that they face in opposite directions, a description of one will answer for both. There is a post 17 which is inserted into the saddle, to Wit, into the member 7 of the saddle, and usually this member is welded to the latter. At the free end of this supporting member there is extending at right angles to it, a locking member consistwhich fit around the curved ends 19 of the 'member 18 and the front plate of this spring member is slightly curved or arched at 23 to partially correspond with the curvature of the surface 20; and this wall 23 is providedfwith an aperture 24 to receive the shank of the screw 25; and around this aperture the metalis countersunk at 26 to receive the head 27 of the screw. The members 17 and 19are provided with a threaded aperture 28 to receive the screw.

The spring is assembled by being placed endwise over the member 18 and pressed downwardly until these parts coincide at the top and bottom edges; and the screw 25 is inserted through the spring and into the aperture 28 and is partially screwed until the plate 23 of the spring is pressed slightly into thecurved recess 20 of the memberj18.

When the device is first put into use the screw will be only partially turned down and thisKaction tendsto draw the curved portions 22 of the spring around the curved edgesl9. This action tends to force the spring outwardly at the points 29; and the edges 30 of the spring, in drawing around the curved members 19 have a tendency to force outwardly against the socket. The position' of the spring will be usted so that the locking member with its spring will slide endwise' into the socket 10 with suflicient friction to 'holdthe artificial tooth in place.

This adjustment will be made on the locking device on each side of the artificial tooth so that both locking devices slide into their respective sockets andhold the artificial tooth in place. After repeated removals and replacing of the artificial tooth there will be a slight relaxation of the grip in the sockets by the locking member,-due to wear of the parts, and when there is insufficient friction to hold' theartificial tooth in place it is only necessary to remove the same and to screw the screws 25 further into the aperture 28 at each side'of the saddle whereupon the curved portion 23 of the spring will be forced nearer the curved surface 20. This will increase the outward tension of the spring in the manner above described, so that the spring will again tightly engage in the socket. This adjustment may be repeated from time to time as the parts became worn so that there will always be a proper degree. of friction to, retain the artificial tooth in place. it will be obvious that this adjustment is very simple and it may be made by the patient without having to revisit the dentist.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: p i

1. In a removable bridge for artificial teeth the combination of a saddle having one or more artificial teeth mounted therein, and

means for detachably securing the saddle to an inlay in an adjacent tooth comprising a socket member having a vertically extending slot in one side and a vertically extending pocket having rounded ends and cooperating locking members substantially 'T-shaped, the shank of which is adapted to move in the vertical slot of said socket member, the head of said T shaped member being adapted to slide in the socket member and having a recessed surface to provide a space between said recessed surface and the adjacent surface of the socket, a'spring curved around the ends of said T shaped head and lying between the same and said socket, and a screw for bending the said spring in said space for adjusting the frictional engagement between said locking members.

2. In a removable bridge for artificial teeth the combination of a saddle having one or more artificial teeth mounted therein, and means for detachably securing the saddle to an inlay in an adjacent tooth comprising a socket member having a vertical slot and a vertically disposed socket provided with rounded ends, a cooperating locking member substantially T shaped, the stem of whloh is adapted to slide in said verticalslot of said socket member, the head of said T shaped member being adapted to slide verticallyin said socket and having rounded ends, and an intermediate curved surface, a

spring curved around said ends of said head,

and lying between the head and the socket member, and a screw threaded into sald 'T shaped locking member and adapted to press said spring towards said curved surface for the purpose of increasing the frictional contact between said members.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 2nd day of June, 1925.

BENJAMIN K. TAKENAKA. 

